Waltham chief’s trial continues with testimony of wife’s friend

Monday

Jun 24, 2013 at 12:01 AMJun 24, 2013 at 5:08 AM

The second portion of Waltham Police Chief Thomas LaCroix’s second day in court for his assault trial was mostly a debate about text messages, as state and defense attorneys argued the semantics of one witness’ electronic conversations.

Eli Sherman

The second portion of Waltham Police Chief Thomas LaCroix’s second day in court for his assault trial was mostly a debate about text messages, as state and defense attorneys argued the semantics of one witness’ electronic conversations.

Shannon Policano, an old friend of LaCroix’s wife, was the only person to testify Friday in Concord District Court and said she witnessed LaCroix assault his wife at his home in Maynard on June 12, 2012.

Policano has been marked as a key witness for the case, as she was the only other person at the LaCroix home when the alleged assault occurred. Defense attorney Thomas Drechsler indicated on Thursday that LaCroix’s wife would testify in favor of her husband.

LaCroix, wearing eyeglasses and a dark suit with a blue shirt and tie, made little to no expressions in court. No eye contact was shared between Policano and LaCroix, but LaCroix listened, took notes and occasionally whispered to his attorney.

LaCroix faces charges of two counts of assault and battery, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, witness intimidation, assault, and two counts of threatening to commit a crime.

The police chief has been on leave with pay since his arrest last year. Acting Police Chief Keith MacPherson has been leading the department in his place.

Earlier on Friday, Policano gave a full recount of how she remembered the night in question.

The defense held its cross-examination of Policano in the latter half of the day. Drechsler painted Policano as a gossiping liar who wanted nothing more then to get LaCroix thrown behind bars. Drechsler cited several text message conversations between Policano and her friends and family. Police recovered the text messages after Policano submitted her phone for evidence.

Policano didn’t tell anything to the police about the assault until two days later and Drechsler asked her why she didn’t go to them directly, especially since she had several chances that night, showing up at the Maynard Police Department three times. Surveillance video showed Policano at the department twice with LaCroix’s wife and once later with her sister. Policano said she didn’t make a statement because she was “scared to death” of LaCroix.

“He said he would kill me and my children if I told anyone,” Policano said.

Drechsler asked her how she could be scared of LaCroix if she left home with her sister later that night to go check in on LaCroix’s wife, who drove home.

Drechsler also asked whether Policano’s story of LaCroix assaulting his wife was a true account or if she was just angry that LaCroix said several nasty things about her, including calling her the “town whore” and accusing her of cheating on her husband.

“You stood there with your friend [at the police station] and you could have said anything at any time,” Drechsler said. “That didn’t happen and you didn’t say anything until you were accused of infidelity … correct?”

Policano replied, “No.”

Drechsler also slammed Policano for gossiping with her friends about the events via text messages and by using acronyms such as “LOL” (laughing out loud) and "LMFAO" (laughing my [expletive] [expletive] off), among others. Drechsler argued the tone of the text messages didn’t sound like someone in fear, but sounded more like a person who likes to gossip.

Drechsler was selective in the text messages he read for the court, but Assistant District Attorney Susanne Kontz cited other text messages in which Policano asked a friend how to get a restraining order against LaCroix. In another message, Policano pleaded with a friend not to tell anyone about the incident because she was afraid.

“I don’t want anything to do with this mess,” Policano texted.

Court was recessed until 9 a.m. Monday.

Eli Sherman can be reached at 781-398-8004 or esherman@wickedlocal.com.
Follow him on Twitter @Eli_Sherman.